Ballot-box battles

If it were not about the failure of democracy, it would actually be hilarious. Yesterday’s travesty of the most fundamental aspect of democracy – people’s participation – was unprecedent as far as poll-related violence goes, in the country and most certainly in Tamil Nadu.I’m sure almost everyone in Chennai has a story to tell from yesterday. Some of you, who can tell the nice tale, have been fortunate, though clearly you are also in a minority. Those people have incidents of violence, booth capturing, criminal intimidation, snatching of ballot papers and lathi-charges to report, are tipping the balance. For some moments on Friday, Tamil Nadu/Chennai looked frighteningly like Bihar. Dravidian goondagiri is legendary in the state, as we have witnessed several times in the past, when political party leaders have expired, and in isolated poll incidents. Nothing on the scale of what we saw in Chennai yesterday. But that we have truly lapsed into goondagiri and that our politics is, at the end of the day, resolved not by law or logic, but by a bunch of thugs is so painfully evident after Friday. Nevermind which party, yesterday was a free for all. When I’ve stopped laughing, it makes me so angry.

Absolutely an ‘Omigod, Omigod, Omigod’ moment…who in his/her sane mind will go back to vote the next time around? Which is exactly what the goons want, innit? they can then happily “eleclt” the person of their choice…a fellow goon! LONG live Democracy!Shelob

Ironically just a couple of months ago a weekly magazine had reported Tamil Nadu to be the best governed state in India. I fail to understand whether the definition of governance has undergone a sea change or the other states are still worse. If it is the latter then I think we better stop using the word “Governance” in India, because every term should have some basic standards.

I really feel peaceful,free,fair, democratic form of elections is not really India’s cup of tea. Bring electoral reforms whereby all the parties candidates are lined up in a Stadium and a WWF tournament be conducted with the winner going to the assembly or Parliament. We have a lot of advantages in the WWF style elections.

1) We would have young and strong members in the parliament and assembly.

2)Every election would see sizeable number of politicians getting physically incapacitated and retiring.

3)Corruption in politics would be slowly eliminated in the form of incapacitated politicians.

4)Elections and Politics would become a game more of muscle than money, thereby never a drain on the economy.

Its a wild thought, but then what else can you expect in an atmosphere that is at its wildest.